Conscience
by KooTheDancer
Summary: Its four in the morning and Andromeda Tonks is worried. Dora and Remus ran off to fight at Hogwarts, but that was hours ago. Shouldn't they be back by now? Shouldn't someone come to tell her whats happened? Oneshot.


Andromeda Tonks wrung her hands nervously as she paced her living room. It seems like years ago that Dora and Remus had left to fight at Hogwarts, but in reality it had only been hours. Baby Teddy looked up innocently at his Grandmother, the frown lines etched in her face making her look more like Narcissa than Bellatrix. Glancing anxiously at the clock on the mantle, Andromeda was shocked to see that it was four a.m. Surely...surely it was over? Shouldn't Dora or Remus have come to her, to her that they were ok? Andromeda stopped pacing a walked over to Teddy, picking him up and cradling him, shushing him gently. He hadn't been crying, but it was to sooth Andromeda more than Teddy; to hold someone close to her and hear that it was going to be ok, even if she was the one saying it.

Then, without any warning, the doorbell rang. Andromeda jumped and almost dropped Teddy. Overjoyed, assuming it was Dora, Andromeda hastily put Teddy back in his crib and ran to the door, wrenching it open.

"Dora! I was _so_ worried!" she cried, but stopped when she saw who it was.

Harry Potter stood on her doorstep, looking like hell. He had cuts and bruises all over his face, his lank hair was down to his shoulders and his glasses magnified the dark bags under his bloodshot eyes. His clothes seemed to be clean, though, and his glasses were unbroken. His posture, however, and the look in his eyes told Andromeda why he was there.

"Mrs. Tonks, I am so, so, sorry."

Suddenly refusing to believe the worst, Andromeda ushered Harry inside and tutted. "What's my daughter managed to do to herself this time? I'm guessing he's gone? You-Know-Who? You wouldn't be here if he wasn't. Well done, Harry. I knew you could do it. Dora rushed off to fight alongside Remus, so I guessed it must the final fight. Looks like his reign of terror is over then, isn't it? Dora probably broke most of her bones in the process, didn't she? Or...or lost a limb? Or..." she trailed off, looking at the expression on Harrys' face.

"Dora and Lup– I mean, Remus, both fought admirably. They...they won't be forgotten." Harry swallowed thickly as realisation dawned on Andromedas' face.

"No...no...Harry, please tell me you're kidding. This...you're lying. I...I can't lose my husband, daughter and son-in-law all in the same year!" she looked into Harrys' eyes with a wild desperation, searching for any hint of a lie or joke.

"I wish it wasn't true. I am so sorry. Dora and Remus were amazing people. They were true friends and I don't know what I'm going to do without them."

"You? _YOU_? Dora was _my_ daughter! Remus was _my _son-in-law! How can you come in here and tell me they're gone and act like _you're_ the one in pain? I don't care if you were the one to get rid of You-Know-Who, or if the whole wizarding world worships the ground you walk on, but if you _ever_ act like this has hurt you more than me again I will personally tear you limb from limb!"

Andromedas' head fell into her hands and her body shook with violet sobs. Feeling it was the right thing to do, Harry walked over to her and sat down, pulling her close and cradling her as she had done to Teddy, rubbing small circles onto her back and making comforting noises softly. After an hour Harrys' arm began to ache, but he didn't dare move. Andromeda was still crying, but her body was still. Eventually she sat up and looked at Harry, her eyes red and swollen.

"Harry," she croaked. "I'm sorry. Obviously you'll miss them, too. I didn't mean to-"

"No, don't apologise. I'm sorry. It was insensitive of me." He conjured a glass of water and handed it to Andromeda, who smiled gratefully and drank it.

"Thank you for coming personally to tell me. You must be exhausted. How did you...how did it all...end?"

Harry looked at her for a second, wondering if she would be able to deal with the details in her frail state, but decided to tell her. She looked as if she needed something to take her mind off Tonks and Lupin. He plunged into his story, giving an overview on Horcruxes and telling Andromeda all about Hermiones' bag, the wedding, Grimmauld Place, changing location almost every day, Ron leaving, Godrics Hollow, the sword, the Snatchers, Shell Cottage. Gringotts had a detailed explanation, as did all of the Hogwarts Battle. Andromeda was listening, but not enough to gasp when someone else would've, or laugh when something amusing happened. The only real emotion she showed was a flicker of annoyance when Bellatrixs' name was mentioned and a look of shock when Harry told her what happened to Fred. She kept her face blank when Harry stumbled over mentioning Tonks and Lupin, but flinched involuntarily. When Harry finished his story, she stayed silent, looking at nothing in particular but obviously thinking very hard.

"That was very brave of you, Harry. Sacrificing yourself to save your friends. Very noble."

Harry nodded his thanks and they sat in silence again.

"Do you know who it was? Who it was that killed Dora?" Andromeda asked suddenly.

Harry had been dreading her asking this. He didn't want to tell her that her daughter had been killed by her sister. He felt his heart sink into his stomach.

"I-" he began, but was cut off by a loud wailing. Teddy had woken up.

Andromeda rushed over, her face suddenly softening and her question forgotten. "Oh, Teddy, I'm sorry. I forgot you were there. Are you hungry, Teddy?" She waved her wand absently and bottle of milk appeared on the table next to her. Placing her wand down, she lifted the bottle to Teddys' mouth and smiled happily as his chubby fists tried to grasp the bottle.

"So this is Teddy?" Harry asked as he walked to Andromeda's side. Teddy stared at Harry, his huge intense eyes examining him exactly as Harry was examining Teddy. Lupins eyes, nose and cheeks were looking back at him, chubby and miniature though they were. Teddy had gotten his mothers chin and lips.

Harry took a deep breath. "That's the other thing, Mrs. Tonks."

"Harry, call me Andromeda."

Harry nodded and tried to smile, but ended up breathing in too quickly and choked. He coughed and spluttered until Andromeda cleared his windpipe with a simple spell.

"Thanks," Harry said. "The other thing. Um. Lup- I, I mean Remus, he named me...I'm Teddys' godfather. So, I can look after him. If...if you want."

Andromeda looked up at Harry, still holding the baby in her arms. For the first time that day, a small twinkle was in her eyes.

"Have you talked to Ginny about this, Harry?" Andromeda asked mischievously.

Harry froze, then laughed. "Yes. She thinks we're too young and that it would be a mistake. She reckons it would do more damage to Teddy than to anyone else, but that it would still be bad for me and her. Also, she thinks I'm being noble and trying to be like Sirius and that I think Teddy wants to stay with me because I wanted to stay with my godfather. If Hagrid hadn't been on Dumbledore's orders, I would have ended up living with Sirius."

"Harry, you don't need to take him just to ease a guilty conscience. It's not your fault Dora and Remus died. And you didn't have any surviving relatives other than the Dursleys. Teddy does. Bellatrix and Narcissa and all of them, they don't exist to me anymore. But he has me. I'm his only blood relative, and I'd like to keep him with me. I'm all he has. Well. He's all I have..."

Harry chuckled softly. "Andromeda, you won't be alone. I want to be in Teddys' life as much as possible, and I can understand that you want to keep him. Ginny will be relieved, I'm sure. But I want him to grow up surrounded by as much love and family as possible. So he will be. And so will you."

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**Urrgh. Crap last line, I know.**

**Please R&R**


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